Marriage

Number of first marriages in 2018

155 000 (less than half that of 1972)

Fraction of total marriages as re-marriages in 2018

1/3

Serial monogamy

Pattern of marriage-divorce-remarriage

Average age of first marriage 1978-2018

Rose by 7 years

% of religious ceremony weddings in 1970

60%

% of religious ceremony weddings in 2018

20%

% of marriages that reach the 60th wedding anniversary

16%

Expected duration of an average marriage

32 years

7 reasons for changing patterns of marriage

• Remarriages

• Changing attitudes

• Declining stigma attached to cohabitation

• Female financial independence and other changes in the position of women

• Secularisation and religious weddings

• Fear of divorce

• Age on marrying

Remarriage

• Rising number of divorces means there are more divorcees to remarry

3 changing attitudes

• Less pressure to marry, norm has weakened

• More freedom of choice in relationships

• Widespread belief that quality of relationship more important than legal status

Declining stigma attached to cohabitation

• Cohabitation/singledom/extra-marital children all widely regarded as acceptable

• Pregnancy no longer automatically leads to marriage

1989-2012 - % of people believed couples that want children should marry

• 1989 - 70%

• 2012 - 42%

3 aspects of secularisation

• All major religious organisations are still in favour of marriage

  • Their influence as declined so people feel free to choose not to marry

• Religious ceremonies no longer seen as relevant

• Many religions refuse to marry divorcees, who make up a growing proportion of those getting married

  • Divorcees have less of a desire for a religious ceremony

2001 — % of young people getting married

• 3% of young people with no religion married

• 17% of young people with a religion married

Female financial independence

• Women now have better educational and career prospects and so are less economically dependent on men

  • Have greater freedom to not marry

• Feminist view of marriage as oppressive and patriarchal dissuades some women from marrying

Fear of divorce

• Rising divorce rate may mean some are put off marriage as increased likelihood of it ending in divorce

Rising age on marrying

• Young people postponing marriage to spend longer in education and establish a career

• Couples also now cohabiting before marriage